Category: Reviews

Wildermyth is Fantastic Tactical RPG You Probably Haven’t Heard Of

A game that released on Steam in November 2019 by a smaller independent studio, Wildermyth is a game you may not have heard of. That’s okay, because I’m here to tell you that it’s fantastic, and deserves a look and your time.

The game takes you through variable-length campaigns, during which your characters will face tough choices, suffer grievous injuries, and some may even perish forever. Their sacrifice will not be in vain, though, as you’ll be able to recruit other companions to take their place and hopefully carry on their legacy. Battles take place over a series of turns, where the player is able to choose varied actions for their characters to perform, all-the-while attempting to defeat a myriad of magical and mystical creatures. The end of battles tallies the enemies defeated, distributing experience to each character that may level them up. When that happens, players are able to choose a new active or passive skill for that character, shaping how they play. I was always excited when this happened, and you notice impactful differences in that character’s abilities, damage output, or accuracy the very next battle.

Players engage those battles by taking back sections of the world map, where they can build stations to provide additional resources, or race through to the finish. Though that takes less time, it is unwise to rush to a final battle without being properly equipped, since the enemies and game A.I. aren’t pushovers. Before, and even sometimes during battles, players will have to make character-based decisions. Should we rush into battle head-first, or should we wait for the enemy and attempt to ambush them? Some of these will have percentages of success, while others might not be as apparent. Regardless, they are interesting, and help give the characters a personality of their own and help the game feel unique to that campaign. Occasionally, there will be a side quest available for a character. I highly recommend pursuing these, even if it means you might encounter tougher enemies because of it. It adds even more variety to the gameplay, and could result in permanent changes (see the wings on Kai Stormbringer as a tangible example).

Enemies will receive buffs depending on what choices you make during battle. These normally occur after a battle is completed, but can be initiated once a timer on the world map reaches zero. The enemy upgrades after battles can be as simple as adding 25% more health to a particular enemy, to introducing completely new and deadly abilities. The ones initiated on the world map may be negated by spending Legacy Points (which you earn from side quests and some options during battle). If you do not negate the upgrade or don’t have enough Legacy Points at that time, the upgrades are applied and the enemies grow stronger. This adds a risk/reward factor to exploring everything in the world map. Traveling takes time in the game, so trying to search every area and build up defenses will also expose the characters to stronger enemies as the campaigns progress. It’s your choices as the player, so choose wisely. Your characters’ lives are always on the line.

Upon completing all objectives on the world map, you’ll complete the chapter, and move to the next one. I was able to complete the first campaign, going through three chapters and taking around three hours to complete. At the end, the choices character’s made influence the story you are giving, with some characters going on more grand adventures, settling down with a character they grew feelings for during the story, or any one of a number of other outcomes. Better yet, you are able to bring their legacy and character into subsequent playthroughs of other campaigns. You can also take a look at the characters you’ve completed a campaign with from the main menu by visiting your legacy option. I couldn’t help but click on them and reminisce about the adventure we had just completed, and look forward to seeing them pop up again to aid weary warriors fighting to save their land.

Overall, Wildermyth was a massively pleasant surprise. I love the stories you are presented, the way you are able to shape the story into somethin unique, and the engaging battle system. I’m currently knees-deep in my second campaign, and am going to jump right back in after this article to see what shenanigans my rural heroes will find themselves in. According to Worldwalker Games’ official site, Wildermyth is also available on itch.io.

Omensight Review- More Fight Than Sight

Maybe it was the self-propelled hype, but after the six hours I spent with Omensight, I was left slightly underwhelmed with the overall mystery behind the gameplay.

Author: Nathan Doverspike

Disclaimer-Copy was obtained through purchase, not provided by developer.

As someone who loves mystery games, but isn’t necessarily the best at them, I knew I had to pick up Omensight by Spearhead Games the night it released. I thoroughly enjoyed Murdered: Soul Suspect, even if others didn’t share that sentiment. Maybe it was the self-propelled hype, but after the six hours I spent with Omensight, I was left slightly underwhelmed with the overall mystery behind the gameplay.

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You’ll become very familiar with this screen as you progress through the story.

Omensight is a game where you are the harbinger, a being sent to prevent the end of the world caused by the evil entity Voden. Akin to games like Sexy Brutale, you follow different characters throughout the final day, unlocking more clues to the nature of the apocalypse each time. At the end of each day you are given the opportunity to upgrade your character with the experience you gain from that day, as well as learn new moves and eventually even reduce the overall damage you receive during combat. On the normal difficulty, I found that combat became a breeze after just a few upgrades, which is a shame because this game is about 85% combat and 15% figuring out the next path to take.

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This is where you can see what clues you’ve uncovered.

This wouldn’t normally be a big gripe, but there is very little mystery to actually put together. A character at the hub area between days will just tell you where to go next after you compete a day, completely removing any sense of discovery the player could feel. I have no problem with hints if I ask for them but being spoon fed the plot in a game that calls itself a “mystery” game seems detrimental to the whole concept of the title.

Speaking of gameplay, it’s worth noting that I enjoyed the locations you visit and how they change as the end of the game draws near. Lush forests become overrun with glowing purple decay; statues crumble. These areas are fun to explore the first couple times through, but do become stale towards the end. The game offers you the option to skip to the critical point in a day with each character, and that is a welcome change over their previous game, Stories: The Path of Destinies. Unlike that title, it does cut out a lot of the fluff at the expense of not filling up your clues for each character. If you aren’t worried about that, I highly suggest taking that option whenever it is presented.

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Pretty sure that purple stuff isn’t healthy.

That isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy my time with Omensight. I had a great time for the lost part (minus an escort portion of the game that I must have played half a dozen times) because it takes notes from the Batman Arkham game’s, with enemies having an indicator appear just before they attack. This allows you to dodge, counter, and combo your way to victory. The abilities you earn through upgrading and leveling up are also satisfying, like the ability to use telepathy that evolves into telepathy/life drain. If not for the constant and satisfying character progression, it would have been a struggle to finish.

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Combat is by far the best part of this game.

The silent protagonist doesn’t do the game any favors either. Injecting any sort of personality into the harbinger would have made the numerous variations of situations you have with the different characters more interesting, because those four main characters themselves are quite a joy to hang with for a day. They all have their unique personalities, and seeing how they react to having different companions with you was certainly interesting. I just feel it would have been better if your character had more impact on these scenes instead of being nothing more than a pretty sweet-looking empty vessel.

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The main hub is beautiful, even if it lacks things to do there.

This review may sound harsh, but that’s only out of love for the potential this developer has. As the same studio that created Stories: The Path of Destinies, they have proven they understand what it takes to implement entertaining combat into their games. The mystery part could use some work, and hopefully a third title set in this universe will nail everything down and it will come together to create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. Until them, I still recommend checking this game out if you enjoy that type of combat but aren’t afraid of a decent half dozen hour journey through ascetically pleasing areas.

Final Score: 7.5

This is currently available on PS4 and Steam. PS4 version used for review.

Pros and Cons of God of War (PS4) – The Summit of Gaming

While there aren’t many things to gripe out with this game, here are my pros and cons for God of War for your reading pleasure.

Author: Nathan Doverspike

If the title didn’t give it away already, this is one of my favorite games. Ever. I don’t say that phrase often either. Only Mass Effect 2 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt fit into that category for me in the last 10 years of video games. There aren’t many things to gripe about with this game, so here are my pros and cons for God of War for your reading pleasure.

Pros

The Combat Is The Best in The Series

From the minute you were able to throw the ax at an enemy’s head, have it stick in it and freeze them, then lunge forward with a flying punch to the face, I knew this game was going to be special. You don’t get as many weapons in this game as you did in the past God of War games, but they more than make up for it with robust

The Visuals Aren’t Just Breathtaking, They’re The Best

Graphics aren’t everything. Mass Effect 2 looks slightly aged now, but I still think it’s one of the greatest RPG’s ever. But unlike Mass Effect 2, God of War looks leagues better than its competition in a way that the Mass Effect series never did. The fact that I took a screen shot of mud in the game…should tell you everything you need to know about how great this title looks.

Exploring the Worlds Is As Enjoyable As You Would Expect

With so much effort placed in making the visuals some of the best in a video game to date, just as much effort was placed in making the gorgeous locations just as fun to explore. From solving puzzles to defeating powerful foes in the late game content, I never grew bored of any of the numerous caves, beaches, or treks up a mountain. Finding new paths to take as you gain more abilities and progressively better loot was always a great time.

Extra Content After The Story

This is something that I certainly didn’t expect. I had a feeling this game would have a lengthy story for and action RPG, but I didn’t expect it to have a bunch of side quests and content that is unlocked after you complete the story. With all of this content available to complete, this game gives you reason after reason to keep playing, even after the main story is finished.

Bonus: New Game Plus Added

Did you finish God of War and ask yourself: What next? Lucky for you, Santa Monica added a New Game Plus mode that allows you to carry over all of your gear, experience, currency, and talismans to experience the story again. You also have the ability to skip cutscenes, craft new armor and weapons, and even some previously unavailable abilities will be available! The new armor sets add a wonderful twist with positive and negative effects, breathing new life into an already spectacular Game of the Year winner.

The Story

I don’t normally get emotional playing games, especially not ones that feature Kratos yelling and grunting his way through them (of which he does a considerable amount less than the previous titles). God of War redefined my expectations for this series moving forward, offering an incredible story and a very moving ending with twist after twist. I love where the story goes, and the curve balls the developers boldly throw at you until the credits roll.

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Even the mud in the game is impressive!

Cons

Odin’s Ravens

I understand the idea behind having clever things hidden in the environment for the player to find. However, to me the 51 Odin’s Ravens scattered throughout the game are more of a pain than they are worth to find. There are other collectibles like chests, artifacts, and special enemies hidden that are far more interesting and fun to find. Personally, I wish there weren’t as many to collect or didn’t literally blend in with some of the environments to the point of being almost completely impossible to see.

Attitude of Atreus Half-Way Into The Story

This is a minor gripe, since in the context of the story it makes sense. The story is about the journey and how it changes both Kratos and Atreus along the way. At one point, I grew tired of Atreus’s attitude. I understand what the developers were doing with his character, but it didn’t make it any less annoying. Thankfully, his personality doesn’t remain this way for too long.

How are you enjoying the game? Were there any points you think I missed? Let me know in the comments!

The Pros and Cons of Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom

Instead of doing a traditional review, I am making the creative decision to do a list of pros and cons for the game (hopefully with similarly positive results like those in this masterpiece of a video game). Not only does this allow me to produce more quality content in the same amount of time, but it also let’s me provide a concise list of what features stood out the most, both good and bad.

Author: Nathan Doverspike

Instead of doing a traditional review, I am making the creative decision to do a list of pros and cons for the game (hopefully with similarly positive results like those in this masterpiece of a video game). Not only does this allow me to produce more quality content in the same amount of time, but it also let’s me provide a concise list of what features stood out the most, both good and bad.

Pros

  • Art Style-continuing the hand-drawn look of the first game that stands up to Studio Ghibli’s pedigree was a smart decision. This game looks just as good as the original, and possibly even better during battles and in the over-world.
  • Re-imagined Combat-The switch to a more Tales-like combat style that emphasizes mobility and quick decisions without the ability to pause the action mid-combat paid off. I think it is the most improved aspect in the sequel and a major reason I poured over 70 hours into my play-through.
  • City Building-Ni No Kuni 2 introduces a robust and enjoyable city building feature that is something other games could implement in the future. While it isn’t necessary to engaged with this system, it is well worth your time if you plan on getting the platinum trophy.
  • Higgledies-I wasn’t sold on the concept of Pikmin in my Ni No Kuni game, until I realized how valuable they are to succeeding in combat (in additional to be adorable). Having a Hiddledie that can boost your elemental resistance when fighting a dragon can be a difference maker, especially on late game enemies. They can also have abilities like bringing another Hiddledie to battle when they power up (Awaken), transform into a cannon with their respective element, or even boost your attack. With so many different ones to find in the world and create in your city, the variety of combinations is impressive.
  • Side Quests-Most JPRG’s have fetch quests galore. Thankfully, this game mixes up the objectives required to complete the plethora of quests. From getting specific items, to completing strategic battles where you control four groups of different warriors with different abilities and battle against other groups on the over-world map.
  • Pacing-Something that should not be overlooked in games is the pacing, whether it’s a story that drags on a dozen hours too much, or has too many points where you can’t progress without completing certain objectives. Whereas the first game did have some pacing problems, often slowing down the progression of the game to a crawl, I am happy to report that the pacing in this game is nearly perfect. It took me about 30-40 hours to complete just the main story, which to me felt like the perfect amount of time.
  • The Map and Traversal-I included both of these in this point since they are closely linked. The traversal in this game is vastly superior to that in the original, to the point that going and playing the original has been a tough sell lately for me. The map itself may not feel as large as the original game once you acquire all types of traversal, but the layout and getting from point to point is easy and doesn’t require too much additional travel time in between. Also, the Traps (teleport spots) scattered throughout make getting where you need to very accessible.

Cons

  • The Story Until The Last Chapter-I want to be very specific about this point. The last chapter in this game is phenomenal, and has a giant twist that I honestly didn’t see coming. However, until then I feel the story was slightly underwhelming and that a few of the story beats that should have been momentous instead fell a little flat. Still, overall it was enjoyable and the last chapter made up for all the previous areas that didn’t have the impact of the original game.
  • Strategic Group Battles-There are battles in the game where you are able to choose four groups of warriors, each with their own individual stats, strengths, and abilities, and are asked to complete objectives that normally include defeating the enemy groups. There isn’t a ton of variety in these battles, and to fully complete the game you need to grind out a minimum of 50 of these (something I am slowly working towards completing). They aren’t always exciting, sometimes have very high level requirements, and occasionally leave me wishing this feature wouldn’t have been relied on as heavily as it is for the side quests.

Those are my Pros and Cons for Ni No Kuni 2. Hopefully you are able to find these helpful and informative. Are there any that you feel I missed? What do you think of my choices? Let me know in the comments!

Cat Quest Review – A Purrfectly Enjoyable and Adorable RPG

I really enjoyed my time with this game. It isn’t a game that will win an award, but gamers can use more games like Cat Quest. It isn’t particularly long, but the content there is very well crafted and it has a cute and cuddly world to pair with fun and frantic combat that many indie games can’t match.

Released: August 8, 2017 on PC, iOS, and Android

Author: Nathan Doverspike

As I booted up Cat Quest and read the first couple cat pun lines from your spirit companion (named Spiry, because of course they are) I was cautiously optimistic to start this kitty pun adventure. I knew it had cat puns, and being a cat person myself I was hoping to enjoy the dialogue without growing tired of the constant play on words. I was also cautiously optimistic that I would enjoy the game until the end. Thankfully, I can say overall it was a very enjoyable experience, even if it did feel a little short for a bite-sized game.

Developed by Gentlebros, Cat Quest takes you on a journey to save your sister, who has been taken by Drakoth, the game’s antagonist. Along the way, you speak to dozens of cute anthropomorphic cats who speak in almost pure cat-tastic puns and ask you to do dozens of fetch quests (Spiry sometimes comments on the mundane nature all of the fetch quests, which doesn’t make them any more interesting) that often end in a piece of loot as the reward. Even though many were simply go to a place, fight bad guys, and then return to the quest board, they were short enough that they didn’t overstay their welcome. The main quest is also serviceable, and has a nice twist about three quarters of the way through that I found interesting. It won’t blow your mind, but it doesn’t need to for the game to still be fun.

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The world is a decent size, and is easy to navigate through.

The quest for loot, leveling up, and mastering the magic system is what drove me to fully complete the game. Each piece of loot has its own statistics that upgrade when you find duplicates of that item. There’s enough different weapons and pieces of armor that I was always excited to open a new chest, hoping it was a new sword or better armor to equip. The spells are also interesting, whether it doubles your damage, shoots out lighting to the sides, or heals you, each one feels like it belongs and has a use. You can have four equipped at once, are able to swap them out at any time, as well as upgrade them with coins you gain from defeating enemies and completing quests.

The loot alone wouldn’t be interesting if there weren’t plenty of baddies to test them out on. This feline inhabited world has enemies just bouncing around the map, and they get stronger the farther north you go. Just be prepared to die a few times if you go up there too soon, they don’t mess around with the overkill on some of the enemies that have a skull next to their health bar. The enemies also vary in attack patterns and have interesting designs. Some use magic against you, some use  their weapons, and the fearsome dragons use both at the same time.

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Just one of the many dragons you’ll defeat on your quest to save your sister and the world.

If I had to nitpick, I would say that after the conclusion of the main quest, I was left wanting more. I wanted to find more loot, fight more enemies, and complete more quests. Normally, that wouldn’t be an issue. However, with Cat Quest only clocking in at around nine hours to finish everything the game had to show me, I did feel like there could have been more added to the game. There are hints at more content coming if the game does well enough, so fingers crossed that it gains in popularity so I have another reason to return.

I really enjoyed my time with this game. It isn’t a game that will win an award, but gamers can use more games like Cat Quest. It isn’t particularly long, but the content there is very well crafted and it has a cute and cuddly world to pair with fun and frantic combat that many indie games can’t match. Cheers to Gentlebros for making a gem of an indie game, and I hope they continue to produce more like it.

Score: 9/10 

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard Review

Overall, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is both a return to horror and a breath of new life to this decades old franchise.

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The game strikes a perfect balance of being terrifying and gorgeous at the same time.

Author: Nathan Doverspike

I start to panic as my character takes their good old time unlocking a hatch leading underground.  He is right behind me: Daddy is coming. I hear him curse at me as he swings a bloodied spade wildly towards my head.  I luck out.  The hatch opens and I drop down into the claustrophobic crawl space littered with cob webs and a rusted lawn mower (no idea how that got there).  My heart won’t stop pounding as I contemplate just staying put for a moment to catch my breath, cursing Daddy for scaring the living hell out of me.  I can hear the creak from his brooding footsteps above, and I know I can’t stay here forever.  I need to get out of there and find out what in the world is going on here.  This is just a taste of the heart-attack-inducing moments to come, and I loved every second of it!

Ethan decides to go looking for his long-lost girlfriend Mia after he receives a video of her begging him to stay away.  Reckless, and slightly naive, he nevertheless travels to the swamplands of Louisiana to investigate her disappearance.  Once you arrive, all is not as it seems.  The family living there, the Bakers, clearly have a few screws missing, as well as a pile of other body parts along the way.  You fight them, as well as another form of enemy along the way to saving Mia and yourself.  While the game is slightly linear most of the way through, I never felt quite safe from the denizens of darkness.  Besides the safe rooms located throughout the game, no place was comfortable or inviting, and I prefer my Resident Evil that way compared to the travesty that is Resident Evil 6.

Speaking of gut wrenching, please do not play this game if you have a weak stomach or are prone to heart attacks.  That is a serious warning.  This game made me jump off the couch AND scream at the top of my lungs in just the first hour.  The first half is terrifying, and the second half keeps the scares coming but does focus a little more on linear level design and first person shooting gameplay.  While some might have wanted a complete return to form to Resident Evil 1-3 (this game has a house that resembles the mansion in RE1 and even references to the greater Resident Evil universe that are subtle but brilliant), I adored the blend of scares and stealth mixed with tense moments of action.  Even when you are stripped of your inventory during a section of the game, it never feels like it overstays its welcome.  The weapons all have a place, and I never felt like a weapon wasn’t useful or didn’t feel awkward aiming.  The pace is nothing short of a masterpiece, so much so that I began a new playthrough immediately following the completion of the game.  It has its bloody hooks in me that deep.

Overall, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is both a return to horror and a breath of new life to this decades old franchise.  Some fans may not enjoy all aspects of it, and I respect that.  However, I couldn’t get enough of this entry and can’t wait to see what the future holds for Resident Evil if they continue down this gutsy path.

Final Score:  9/10  Excellent

Five Things I Like About the Nintendo Switch

Author: Nathan Doverspike

As I raised my fists in victory, glowing as I watched the Nintendo Live Press Conference for the Switch last night, I realized just how excited I am for this ambitious device.  While the design is sleek, the controllers look comfortable (if slightly diminutive), and it looks easy enough to handle, I can’t express enough how encouraging their initial first year lineup appears on paper (and via the streamed video).  Below are the five things that excite me the most about the Nintendo Switch.

  1. The Design

This one is an obvious first choice.  While initially skeptical of a design that closely mirrors the failed Wii U controller, the tablet itself appears thin and comfortable to hold (per recent sources).  While the Wii U had a good concept, I never quite understood the weight to the device, or the fact that it felt like my hands were always too far apart for it to feel like an actual controller.  Hopefully this one gets it right.

  1. The Detachable Joy-Cons

While most knew about the detachable Joy-Cons since the initial design was leaked, no one was able to report on how they felt or looked for sure.  Now, we know that there are “shoulder” buttons built in to the side for use when apart from the main console.  Also, you can hold them apart just like you could with the nunchuk and Wii remote.  The freedom that gives your hands is something no other console can offer, and that’s always a plus.

  1. The Launch Lineup

It was speculated that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild would miss the initial launch window.  Thankfully, our doubts were vanquished when Nintendo confirmed that it would, in fact, be released alongside the Switch (and this awesome collector’s edition is something to swing a sword at).

Also, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe looks beautiful and will release within two months of the console being available.  Breath of the Wild alone should be enough to satisfy the hardcore fans long enough for other promising titles to reach our anxious paws.

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  1. All of the Unique Games Announced

Now, I know that not all of the titles announced will be out anytime soon, let alone this year.  However, that doesn’t mean that a brand-new Shin Megami Tensei game on console or Fire Emblem Heroes isn’t enough to get me all fired up.  In particular, Super Mario Odyssey looks like a blast (minus the lifelike people in that trailer, boy they looked rough) and the super interesting Project Octopath Traveler have me licking my gaming chops.

  1. The Possibilities Ahead

This is my last point, and as such is somewhat ambiguous. Instead of focusing on a singular topic, I want to expand it to all the possibilities for this new console.  I know they haven’t announced or even mentioned Metroid yet, but how cool would it be to play a brand new Metroid game on a portable system that isn’t as limited as the 3DS?  To be able to take a console quality Metroid game on the go would be a dream come true!  Plus, with the added power,  the Switch could serve as a great return to form for a legitimate 2D Castlevania game that rivals SotN.

Those are my thoughts for now.  Feel free to comment or email us with any questions: officialgoldenagegamers@gmail.com